The New York Small Business Development Center (NYSBDC) provides small business owners and entrepreneurs in New York with the highest quality, confidential business counseling, training, and business research at no cost. The Information Specialist plays a pivotal role in delivering comprehensive library services to the New York SBDC network of business advisors. This position involves conducting extensive research, offering user training, creating resources, leveraging information technology, and developing programs/webinars. The ideal candidate will have a robust academic background, research experience, technological acumen, and a proactive approach to staying current in the dynamic field of library sciences.

Job Duties (include but are not limited to):

• Provide in-depth research on diverse topics including competitive analysis, market research, financial analysis, industry trends, and company news for New York SBDC clients and program partners.
• Utilize databases such as Dun & Bradstreet, Statista, Bizminer, Vertical IQ, US Census, and Data Axle to extract relevant information.
• Contribute to the creation of library webinars, infographics, tip sheets, and other resources designed to educate and inform the user base.
• Prepare and deliver both online and in-person training programs on topics like local market research, effective use of demographic information, and low-cost marketing techniques for entrepreneurs served by NY SBDC Regional Centers.
• Contribute to the maintenance of the online library collection, encompassing business news, company financials, economic and demographic data, and government data.
• Keep abreast of library trends through active participation in relevant library organizations.
• Exhibit strong communication skills, interpreting written requests, writing concise research response descriptions, and conducting effective reference interviews.
• Demonstrate proficiency in translating complex data findings into clear and compelling visualizations such as charts, graphs, and dashboards.

Requirements:

Required Education/Qualifications:

• Master's Degree in Library Science and Information Science from an accredited university program.
• Minimum of 1 year of professional research experience, preferably in a business setting.
• Proficiency in the use of Word, Excel, and PowerPoint.
• Excellent communication skills, including occasional public speaking and content creation abilities.

Preferred Education/Qualifications:

• Strong data analysis and electronic document management skills.
• Familiarity with using data analysis tools and software such as Excel, Tableau, or Power BI.
• Experience working within a team library environment.

Additional Information:

Compensation for this position: The compensation for this role is between $51,000 and $57,000. The pay will depend on a variety of factors that may include but are not limited to experience, education, training, and certifications.

As an Equal Opportunity / Affirmative Action Employer, The Research Foundation for SUNY will not discriminate in its employment practices due to an applicant's race, color, creed, religion, sex, pregnancy-related conditions, reproductive health decisions, childbirth or related medical conditions, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, transgender status, age, national origin or ancestry, marital status, familial status, citizenship, physical and mental disability, prior arrest or conviction record, genetic characteristics/genetic information, predisposition or carrier status, domestic violence victim status, military status or service, veteran status, or any other characteristics protected under federal, state or local law.

The Company will not discharge or in any other manner discriminate against employees or applicants because they have inquired about, discussed, or disclosed their own pay or the pay of another employee or applicant.

Review of applications will begin immediately and continue until the position is filled.

The Research Foundation for the State University of New York is not an agency or instrumentality of the State of New York. Employees of the Research Foundation for the State University of New York are not state employees, do not participate in any state retirement system, and do not receive state fringe benefits. The Research Foundation for the State University of New York operates under a contract with The State University of New York and receives no directly appropriated state funding.